Between Pain and Beauty: The Mountain Beast, Fog, and Flowers of Obudu

Have you ever met explorers who smile even through pain? Who carries joy like oxygen even when their muscles are on fire? That’s exactly what this 26-kilometre hike at Obudu Mountain Resort was all about.

And guess who led us on this daring trail? None other than the Mountain Beast himself, with his assistant Mr Blazzer and Moh. These two have a bond with the mountain that only true adventurers can understand.

Now, let me introduce the incredible souls who made this adventure unforgettable:

🌟 Sir Joseph E.M.

🌟 Mr. Muhammed A.

🌟 Mr. Blais H. E.

🌟 Mr. Chisom

🌟 Mr. Inusa Jr. F.

🌟 Mr. Emmanuel

🌟 Mr. Success

🌟 Mr. Osazuwa W.

🌟 Mr. Innovative

🌟 Mr. Chima

🌟 Legend

🌟 Don Win

🌟 Miss Lola

🌟 And of course, my humble self.

🌱 The Beginning

At 5:30 a.m., our CSO’s call dropped on WhatsApp (don’t ask me who it’s classified! 😉). By 6:37 a.m., we were already on the trail.

MOF and I were already awake and busy waking others. Osas and I fueled up with four boiled eggs each (trust me, it was needed for this kind of journey), while others had their own breakfasts too.

Blazzer, Moh, MOF, Siefiey, and Innovative bolted ahead like they were competing in a marathon. Manager and Chima followed right behind. Hercules stopped to call Lola and Legend, while Osas, Success, and I tried to keep pace. Eventually, Hercule and I walked together him nursing a bad knee, yet refusing to give up (that’s what living for adventure looks like).

Meanwhile, Osas? Our horticulture and flower-loving brother. He took his time, picking blossoms with Success and taking pictures. The day before, the three of us had wandered off on our own breathing fresh air, hearing waterfalls, spotting cattle and rams, and just soaking in God’s masterpiece of creation. Osas plucked flowers so carefully to decorate our cabin. Some protested, but he did his thing anyway, which turned out beautiful. Lesson? When you know who you are, you do you. 🌸

🏔 The Journey Down

Ten minutes in, our front crew had already vanished. MOF, Blazzer, Moh, Siefiey, and Innovative jogged down the mountain. Ha! These guys are wired differently.

Manager and Chima strolled and chatted. Hercule and I kept moving while he battled his knee. Yet, his determination was inspiring. As he said, “I can’t let pain control me.” Waw! That hit.

Then came shouts from behind Legend, Don Win, and Lola catching up. But I was already lost in my thoughts, with Hercule beside me consoling himself.

🚩 First Victory

After 1 hour and 45 minutes, we finally sighted the mountain gate. Breathing heavy, we spotted those who got there first already resting and taking pictures. But guess who was hiking back up already? Blazzer the “Mountain Beast.” Mogbe! Does this guy run on blood or air?

Legend lay flat on the road to catch his breath. Osas, Lola, and Success sat down after their photoshoot. Success even asked me my “secret formula” for hiking, but I just smiled.

No long rest for some of us. Moh, MOF, Siefiey, and Innovative started climbing back, and Hercule and I joined them. My adrenaline had spiked; energy 80%. By 40 minutes, Hercule’s knees betrayed him. He urged me to go ahead alone. I didn’t want to, but he insisted.

And then it got spooky. A heavy fog rolled in so thick you could barely see a meter ahead. Alone, my mind started playing tricks: “What if a python is waiting?” Lol! I remembered spotting snake skin earlier, plus a baby cobra the previous day. Safe to say, none have harmed anyone. Still, I decided to jog in 1km at intervals. My lungs screamed but my spirit soared.

🌫 The Fog, the Pain, the Push

One hour and thirty minutes later, I met MOF, Moh, and Innovative scribbling names on the pavement. I joined them, teasing Siefiey to spell his nickname right this time (last time exhaustion made him misspell it). This time, he was hiking barefoot; his boots had betrayed him. Moh and the rest cheered him on.

The day before our big hike, the crew couldn’t resist reliving childhood memories. A football match broke out on the mountain plains and trust me, these guys played like they’d been waiting for this moment all their lives.

Watching them, I couldn’t help but think: some of them could have been playing for the nation by now if only their parents had nurtured that talent. ⚽🇳🇬 The joy, the laughter, the playful rivalry it was a reminder that adventure isn’t just about the destination. It’s about reconnecting with the parts of ourselves we sometimes forget.

At some point, even my legs stopped listening to my brain. Moh said the same. We laughed through the pain and kept moving. Managerial pep talks from Moh kept MOF alive. And then Don Win caught up with us, joining the train.

Nature still dropped gems a squirrel crossed my path. Before I could take a picture it ran into the bush but I still dropped my groundnuts I bought earlier because I needed the poly leather (which was originally meant to keep our phones dry in case of rain, because Obudu’s weather changes faster than Nigerian network service).

Finally, we reached the signpost: “Welcome.” Photos taken, security men clapped us in. One even teased the guys that after such hiking, they’d be “very active sexually.” The guys shyly laughed. (Trust Obudu guards to add comic relief 🤣).

And you know what? Through all of this, I hadn’t drunk a drop of water.

 The Finish Line

After 2 hours of climbing, we reached the restaurant where the Naija Adventure crew was already taking pictures and having breakfast. Familiar faces cheered us. AbdulBasit gave us an energy boost with his words. I craved Munchkins at the reception, but they were sold out.

Finally, back at the cabin for a proper breakfast.

Blazzer? Already resting for an hour. Mountain Beast indeed. Respect! 👏

Our arrivals:

Moh, Don Win, and I came second to the peak.

MOF, Hercule, and Innovative followed.

Sadly, Siefiey had to bike back because of his shoes and exhaustion.

Osas, Success, Chima, Lola, Manager, and Legend took an extra hour but they made it.

Special Shoutout 

To Chima, who joined us on this tough hike after two years away from hiking you showed pure resilience.

To Success, who hadn’t hiked in more than six months yet kept his pace with courage.

To Lola and Legend, first-time hikers who dared Obudu Mountain head-on what a powerful debut!

And to Don Win, whose strength and energy added fire to the trail.

Well done, strong people. You inspire us all. 👏

🌟 Lessons from the Hike

1. Pain doesn’t kill you it only wins when you give up.

2. With the right people beside you, you’ll always go far.

3. Things won’t always go your way keep an open mind.

4. Let your mind wander it sometimes needs the space.

5. Once in a while, dare yourself to go the extra mile.

💚 Gratitude

My heart is full.

I’m grateful for good health to explore with these amazing souls.

I’m grateful my legs didn’t give up.

I’m grateful I dared myself even when I doubted my decision.

Yes, our legs were sore. But our hearts? Deeply satisfied.

Would we do it again? We’ll say no right now. But truthfully, explorers don’t retire. We are born to adventure. 🌍✨

👉 Have you ever dared yourself to push past pain and discover beauty on the other side? Share your own adventure story or tell me, would you join the next hike?

Peace.